Colombes (May 2002)

1) Hello, M. Yakhouba Birama Sissokho, how are you ?

All is well by my side !

2) Where do you come from ?

I'm from «Basse Koba Kunda» in Gambia.

3) Since which age do you play kora ?

I play kora since my birth !

4) How did you learn to play kora ?

I started with my grandfather, my father and my uncles.

5) Who was your kora teacher ?

My teachers rather ! They were my father, Tombon Susso, my grandfather, Toufi Susso and my uncles Bamaba Susso, Djiguiba Susso and also my elder brother, M'Bya Susso. I learnt also much with great Masters like Sidiki Diabate or Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more..

6) What is the first (music) piece or which are the first pieces you started to learn when you began practicing kora ?

Kuruntukelefa and Kelefaba, the basic A B C of the kora !

7) Which age did you have when your master considered that your initiation was completed ?

There is not any master in the traditional African music which can say to you : « That's it, young man, now you have finished to learn» ! Not only one !

8) What are the pieces you prefer to play today ? Why ?

«Janjon», because this song speaks about my origins, of my lineage.

9) Do you make your koras yourself ?

Yes.

10) Do you play another instrument(s) than kora ?

I play quite every traditional Manding instrument, but I'd rather particularly the kamalen n'koni .

11) Is this instrument appear to you more «difficult» to play than kora ?

Sample of Yakhouba Sissokho Extrait de : Mali : Kora & Balafon Fakoli [Janjon] © 2006

Not really, it depends : if you understand well the kora and the language of kamalen n'koni, if you integrate correctly the repertoire of the kamalen, you will encounter no great difficulties.

12) How do you tune your kora or in which tuning range are you used to play ?

I play in every tonality !

13) Do you live only by playing kora ?

Since I was born, I do not live and I do not breathe without kora thinking or playing !

14) Since how long are you living in France ?

I came in France in 1990 and I established myself here since that time.

15) Did you live in other countries that France and how long ?

No, I don't, only for some tours in several countries all around the world but never in a fixed way.

16) What is the reception reserved for kora in other Western countries that France ?

Well, at the present time, everyone knows the kora, especially in big cities !

17) Do you belong or did you belong to a group of musicians ?

Yes, of course, I did, please, man, find out the real infos !

18) Of course, I've read in your «biography» that you have collaborated with a very impressive nimber of jazzmen, and not the least : Bruno Angelini, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Michel Edelin, Alexandre Hiele, Ronnie Lynn Patterson, Olivier Petitjean, Erik Truffaz, and so on ...

What does jazz music bring to your music which groundwork is all the more traditional ?

Jazz music is the great and wide realm of improvisation and inspiration. And, all that I like in music, I hear it in jazz music. Making variations, improvisations starting from patterns, that is the power of jazz. Obviously, the manding music is very close to the jazz music in its spirit !

19) Thank you very much Master and so long !

You're welcome, but as I already often said to you, you ought to fly to our country in order to meet others jelis masters; the older jelis will give you better information than me. Go and trace back to real sources !

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